Prologue
London, England
“They will not find me here.” Emily closed the door on the library and picked up her book, scurrying toward the far corner of the room and pressing herself into the gaps between the bookshelves. As she pulled open the cover of her book, she checked back and forth around the room, ensuring all the doors closed before she returned to the world enclosed within the pages of her book. “On the ship that day, the sun was hot, making Elizabeth’s skin burn from the heat. When the Captain approached, she felt that heat increase…”
“Emily? Are you in here?”
“Oh, god have mercy,” Emily muttered, looking up from the book she had been reading. She tried to press her body closer into the gap between the mahogany shelves then cursed herself and looked down. “I am hardly going to disappear, am I?” She flattened the dress that showed off the curves of her figure, so wide in her opinion that few could be in doubt that she carried more weight than she ought to.
“Emily?”
“She will not be in there.”
“Would you like a wager on that? Ha! I know my sister well. Trust me. She will be in here.”
“Damn you, Grace,” Emily mumbled, listening to the two voices chatter as she stepped out from her failed hiding place. She turned around in the room, just debating hiding behind an armchair when the door burst open. “Ah…never mind.” Emily hid the book behind her back as Grace stepped in, followed by their sister-in-law, Julia.
“There you are! I told you she would be here,” Grace said with a laugh as she advanced across the room toward Emily.
“How did you find me?” Emily asked, doing her best to put down the book on a nearby table without her family seeing what book it was.
“You think I do not know you by now?” Grace said good naturedly. “I love you, dear sister, but you would often have a conversation with a character in a book than us, would you not?”
“Ha! You do know me well,” Emily laughed too.
“Now, come. There is no time to waste!” Grace took her hand and pulled, dragging her across the room.
“I beg to differ. Time was exactly what I was trying to waste.”
“Do not be witty at a time like this,” Grace said with an artful smile as she continued to pull on her hand.
“Witty? It is the only virtue I have. Forgive me if I hold onto it.” Emily’s words made Julia laugh as she bustled on behind her.
“Emily, we must prepare you for your debut. There is no time for reading.” Julia shook her head and took Emily’s other arm, dragging her out of the room.
The happiness Emily felt in her family’s company began to fade at the mention of her debut. As they towed her out of the room and toward the stairs, she looked down at the floor, trying to swallow past her nerves, but it was no good. They remained there, fluttering like moths in her stomach.
“Are you not excited?” Julia asked, her own excitement clearly so palpable that her rosy cheeks were blushing a deeper pink. “I was so thrilled for my debut that I tripped up stepping into the ballroom.”
“Knowing me, I will fall flat on my face when I step into the ballroom,” Emily’s words made both women laugh beside her.
“You will do no such thing, I am sure,” Grace brushed off the idea. “Come on, let us prepare you for the evening!”
They hurried Emily up the stairs and into her chamber, where not only her maid, Helena, was preparing her gown for the night, but her mother was there too, Charity, picking out silver jewelry and laying them across the vanity table for Emily to wear.
“Oh my,” Charity said, waving a hand in front of her face as if to quell tears. “How emotional this moment is. My younger child making her debut. You are all so grown up now. I remember when you were all running round in your morning dresses, playing games on the lawn, and crying when you scraped your knees. Beautiful trivial things you all were. Soon, you will have children of your own! No doubt they will be just as beautiful.”
Emily felt herself being pushed into the chair in front of the vanity table, but her mother’s words made her cast her eyes downward, unwilling to meet her own reflection. Charity was right, in many ways. The Earl of Dowding’s family had a long tradition of producing beautiful children going back generations, and Emily’s siblings were no exception.
Grace was the perfect picture of elegance, with a slender form, a tall stature, a small nose, and bold blue eyes, with long chestnut hair that always stayed in its updo. Barely a pair of eyes was not turned in her direction when she walked into a room.
Arthur, their brother, was as handsome as their father had been when he was young. He bore auburn hair, which was copperish in places, curling around his temple, with deep brown eyes that ladies seemed fond of staring into. Many ladies did, for he had once been one of the most eligible bachelors in London, until he met Julia. Married for love, with his handsome countenance and Julia’s beauty of pale blonde hair and green eyes, Emily did not doubt they would continue the tradition of beautiful children.
I will not.The thought cut through her strongly.
“Helena, attend to her hair if you will,” Charity said, hurrying round Emily and helping her into her jewelry as Grace and Julia examined the gown she was to wear. “What a debut you will make! I am so excited for you, Emily.”
“Are you?” Emily asked. “I find myself lacking in excitement.”
